Saturday girl’s 26-year journey to becoming an award-winning stylist

KATE Dixon’s career in hairdressing started when she was just 15.

Working as a Saturday girl at Rod’s Hairdressers in Stockton Heath, she knew she wanted to become a stylist.

Fast forward 17 years and Kate was able to buy a salon in Lower Walton having travelled to the United States to complete Beauty School.

Kate Lucy Hair Studio, which is on Gainsborough Road, is the first winner in our Best of 2024 competition, where each week we search for the best Warrington has to offer in different categories.

We started with Best for Hair and we were inundated with nominations for salons all over Warrington with clients and customers telling us who they thought should make the final shortlist.

Voting for Warrington’s Best for Pies is currently taking place and we’re also looking for nominations in our latest search - Best for Nails.

Vote for Warrington’s Best for Pies 2024

Nominate your favourite for Warrington’s Best for Nails 2024

Fourteen top salons in Warrington made the shortlist for Best for Hair with Kate Lucy Hair Studio in Lower Walton taking the coveted crown.

We received more than a thousand votes with the winning salon recording a landslide victory and Kate couldn’t be happier.

Salon owner Kate Dixon

Kate grew up in Appleton and started working as a Saturday girl at Rod’s Hairdressers in Stockton Heath.

Kate, who is 41, said: “Rod always said that I was going to do hair and he was right!

“I moved to the states when I was 17 and started studying full time at the local cosmetology college when I was 18.

“At first, I wanted to work in the beauty industry on the cruise ships but as soon as I started doing hair, I just loved it.

“I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing stylists over the years and have learnt a lot from all of them.

Kate's competition work

“I have always been very grateful to my first manager, Jen, as she was a Paul Mitchell educator and I was lucky enough to travel to many shows and classes all over the states, in New York, Las Vegas, California and Pennsylvania.

“I also had the pleasure of working with some amazing stylists in Florida at an Aveda salon.

“My daughter and I moved back to England 10 years ago and I was lucky enough to buy my little salon from Steve, who was retiring.

“He’d had the salon for 30 years and I was able to carry on serving his clientele while renovating the salon and building up my clientele in the area.”

Kate Lucy Hair Studio opened on Gainsborough Road in 2015

Kate bought the salon in 2015 and over the past nine years has built an amazing team who she says “are more like family than co-workers”.

She said: “They make me laugh every day and make the salon such a fun place to be.

“Kay has worked in this area for over 30 years and is truly my right-hand lady!

“She helps keep me organised and we joke around that she is my salon mum - I just couldn’t get through my week without her.

“Kirsty grew up on Gainsborough Road and has worked in the area since she was 15.

“She works for herself and rents a chair from me, but she is truly a team player and is always there to help Kay and myself if we need anything.

“The salon wouldn’t be the same without her and her wonderful clients.

“And not forgetting Elaine, who I had the privilege of working with until she retired a couple of years ago.

“She worked at the salon for almost 30 years.”

One of Kate's happy customers

Kate Lucy Hair Studio has been a Best for Hair finalist for several years so how does it feel having taken the 2024 title?

Kate said: “I always feel so lucky when we get to the final shortlist of this competition as there are so many salons in Warrington.

“I tear up and feel very emotional when I read the amazing comments that people leave about myself and my little salon.

“It means the world to me that we have won this competition and I am truly grateful to all my wonderful clients, family and friends for voting for us.”

Kate’s clients love coming into the salon as they like the friendly atmosphere and relaxed vibe.

Customers like the friendly relaxed vibe in the salon

One nomination said: “As well as being a lovely lady, Kate really listens to what you want and doesn’t just do what she thinks you might want.

“She always delivers the cut you want at a great price.”

Kate said: “Thank you so much to everyone that has voted for us and that has been there for me on my journey in the hair industry.

“And a special thank you to my mum for encouraging me and supporting me through Beauty School in Maryland, 23 years ago.”

The dedicated team at Kate Lucy Hair Studio